Hot Rods Does your car have an interesting story to tell?

The A has been in the family since 1958, the 36 a little longer. The owner had the flathead rebuilt, and the infamous oil plug galley was left out, resulting in a dead flatty. My dad, 22 at the time, bought it for $15.00. Got the speed equipment from Montgomery Wards in Waco dirt cheap, as they were getting out of that market. He found a good block, traded around for a Mercury crank and mystery cam, adjustable lifters, and built the truck. Had to get the title signed by the legal owner, a share-cropper out in West, TX. The man could only write his name, (Daddy still remembers it). He drove the truck out to the farm, and the man could not believe it was his old truck. He called his wife out to look at it, (it was just in gray primer at the time), and she exclaimed "Lordy, Lordy, how many bales of cotton did we haul to the gin in that old thing!" The truck didn't ever have good oil pressure, (can you guess why?) and never ran good. But we got transferred from Waco to Alaska that year, (Air Force), so the trucks went into a pole barn in Greenwood AR. for about 25 years. We used to play on them when we came home, I remember sliding down the fender on the A. The A finally gets to Texas, and the rebuild starts. I told my dad about the galley plug, which was MIA. He then discovered that the block was .030 over, and he had put standard pistons in it all those years ago. No wonder it didn't run right. So it got all straightened out. I doubt the truck has 100 miles on it since it got parked in 1958. My mom sewed the original seat cover for it, made out of a chanise (sp) bedspread. I always loved the truck, knew it was special even when I was 4 or 5. The engine is about rotten, beginning to weep and rust out through the water jackets. We have found a good (I hope) engine to rebuild, using the internals from the current flathead. This will be a bittersweet build, as demetia is beginning to take its toll on my dad. This will be our last hurrah working on stuff together. The 36 was bought in Waco. Daddy put a later 235, duals and a two-pot Offy on it. It was his daily for a few years, especially at Little Rock AFB in the late 60's. I broke the key off in the glove box when I was 4, and it's still there. Years later, he put a 3.8 chevy and auto in it, but missed the buzzin half a-dozen. My sister now has it. I will take the A home one day, but for now, Daddy likes to go out and mess with it. He did all the mechanical, paint and bodywork on both trucks.

 

My 56 Fairlane Victoria has a short story, I guess better than no story. The vin tag shows it was built in Dallas, didn’t get too far from there. Also shows it had the elusive 312 V8 (long gone) I bought it as a parts car. Meaning a lot of it’s parts had been used to put together another car. Looked like it had been resting in a riverbed for many years.
The fun part is the purple and white lace painting and fake wood grain used to customize it. Had the “knobs” stuck in the front springs to raise it up and the shackles flipped in the back. This was someone’s hot rod back in the day.
Now it has a title and I’m slowing making it a living hot rod again.

 

Hello,
I am sure all cars have some story to tell its new owners. If only… When I bought my first 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery, it looked sleek, mean and very cool compared to all of the other hot rods cruising and racing on Friday and Saturday nights. No one had a 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery. The teenagers, actually, did not like the sedan delivery because of the business connotation it portrayed. The hot topics were the fast, factory cars, 57 Chevy-dual quads, 57 Ford Paxton Supercharged, and of course my 1958 Chevy 348/280 hp Impala. They were the hot ticket almost every weekend at the drive-in parking lots in our cruising area, Bixby Knolls.

But, at the sight and sound of this reddish color 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery chugging through the drive-in parking lots, it turned a lot of heads. I am sure that sedan delivery had some proud feelings at the time. The motor was another Chevy 348 with a 4 barrel, built up motor (found out later) and a LaSalle 3 speed transmission. It sounded fast, just idling through the “see all/hear all” driveway to the street that leads to the Cherry Avenue Drags, just down the street.

My eyes saw several future things for that car. One, a fast hot rod for cruising. Two, it fit the need for a teenage surfer with high hopes for some future road trips. Three, it was powerful enough to race just about anyone and show some taillights down the road. The 1940 sedan delivery had this image and sound to back up any doubts about how fast it was in real time. When the owner accelerated out of the driveway, we all could hear the powerful motor rumble and shift to the next gear. That 1940 sedan delivery was the epitome of a fast hot rod.

Jnaki

As discussed before, I did eventually buy that 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery. But, from near the top of the roost to the slowest hot rod in town, it was a change for the car and me. It met the needs of owning a cool looking hot rod and it satisfied the look of being an up coming surfer. The sedan delivery had a different life than the 58 Chevy Impala. As sad as it was, the 348 motor was taken out of the 1940 sedan delivery.

Everyone liked the hot rod, but no one could afford the cost of the complete car as it was built. The owner sold it to me with a stock Flathead motor and instantly, it went from near the top of the heap to the slowest, giving the stock 1953 Chevy Bel Air and 1951 Pontiac a run for the title of "slowest on Cherry Avenue."

So, its history set in stone, but the lingering feeling of going from top to bottom was felt in the sedan delivery, I am sure. It was a very cool hot rod, even with the Flathead. Going from 280 hp to 80 hp was a challenge, but becoming long time friends and many miles of coastal cruising road trips made up for the lack of drag racing “chutzpah.” The sedan delivery as well as a teenager, together, spent many hours of fun all over So Cal to continue the life journey in this phase. It was a hot rod just made for new adventures.

The 1940 sedan delivery did satisfy all of the needs of a surfer/hot rod guy. It was so reliable, that anything could be overlooked during the time (1961-65) I owned the daily driver. It had a lot of stories built in, but created its own during my ownership. As old, Bob Hope used to say: “Thanks For The Memories…”
1940 Flathead sedan delivery dash, add in a LaSalle floor shift lever

The memories were very strong from the first 1940 sedan delivery. So, Many years later after college and marriage, my wife and I bought another 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery (to fix up) to continue the saga of cool looks, hot rod feelings and a never ending supply of memories together.

2nd Ford Sedan Delivery stock dash (327 w/column shift auto trans)

 

Bought a Model A 2-3 years go. Redone interior, candy paint, but basically original running gear. Bought it from the son of the builder, who had died recently. I wanted the sheet metal and interior for a 60s-flavor hot rod, so I took the rolling chassis to a large swap meet. The chassis was pretty much original except for some welding on the front fender supports.

Immediately after rolling it off the trailer two guys gather near it and begin talking about it. I listen. They know the car and the previous owner; said he was on medical oxygen and died from an accident while welding on the car. Not sure if that is true, but I believe them.

I had to repaint it due to some body work needed, but left it basically the same color scheme as the previous owner. It just felt right. So there’s that.

 

I've never heard it speak. I've yelled at it a lot though.

 

G'day, I always wanted a solid axle C1 Corvette. I missed out on a couple in the early 70's and then life got in the way. In 1981 I found a 58 that was for sale down south so my wife, my brother, and myself went down with cash to get it and tow it home. With a tow bar. We didn't have a trailer. When we got to Kansas City we found the car and it was junk. It was twisted and battered and more of a parts car. Another guy was there looking at it and pulled me aside and gave me a phone number.

We called the number and found that they had a 59 for sale. We went and looked at it and bought it immediately. It had been a drag car all of its life. The original dash pod was in a box with like 0.3 miles on the odometer. We did not get a title but got the original MSO from GM. There was a new Doug Nash 4+1 in the trunk. Shortly we were on the road.

We found that the tow bar would not stay on the two piece bumpers on the car and ended up towing it 700 miles with a tow rope. The first night we made it to Council Bluffs Iowa where we spent the night in a stripper bar parking lot. My wife spent our second anniversary guarding the car all night. She had to chase some dude in a Ford van off three times until she finally woke my brother and I up. He high tailed it when he saw us walking across the lot with a 4 foot J bar and a 48 ounce hammer.

The trip continued on from there with a lot of craziness but we got it home and hope to finish it next summer.

 

I have had my car for 49 years now and while it does have an interesting story, I don't know what it is. After I got the car people told me that the guy who built it had died. I was told his name, but since I didn't know him, it didn't really get it imprinted in the memory, and of course, the guys who knew him have since passed too. It had been nosed and decked with a bullnose strip that I have never seen on another car. A slant six with manny tranny and floor shift. Looked good from far away.

 

Just this on the Coleman Coupe that I have owned for awhile and rebuilt. Hope you can read this.

 

My 28 Sport Coupe was a one owner, but they used up a lot of the good in it. The original owner bought it new. I've had two people tell me that they took a train to Detroit to pick it up and drive it back to Oregon. I have the original Oregon title which was stamped "souvenir copy" by the state when they changed their titles. It sat at the amusement park the owner had for many years. At some point it was converted to a light pickup. After owning it for quite a few years, I'm hoping to get it driveable some time this summer. Chassis is done, I'm doing body work now.

 

I don't know if this is an interesting story but here it is. I bought and sold a bunch of old cars in the 80's. then I got my 61 Dodge for a good price, thought I would sell that one too. buyers had other ideas. I only had a couple people even call on it. I had it in the Auto Trader for like 6 months as well as other venues. I've had it for 30 years now.

 

All great stories!-----Mine is no exception, during my Korean war stint in the USNavy 1951-1955, I would buy all the car mags about Hot Rods & the happenings back in the USA while away.
Saw an ad in the drag news in 1962: 1932 Ford roadster in pieces for $500 bucks. I was living in Torrance, Ca. at that time & the owner lived in Orange,Ca. not too far away, made a bee line to his address & was amazed to find he was an old classmate of mine in hi school. Conversation quickly turned to the tarp covered 32 roadster body & frame up on saw horses in the driveway. I was very excited by now, especially when he had all the important bolt on parts---4 fenders, dropped axle drilled, gas tank, hood, running boards, grill shell,-----I quickly gave him the $500 bucks!
Upon arriving back home, my wife wanted to know what I was going to do with all that "junk".
After 6 years of re building & parts gathering between Little league & girl Scouts, finally had it painted shiny black, then we moved to a new home in Westlake Village,Ca. in 1968, a nice quiet area & would take the family on a picnic ride most Sunday's. Driving the roadster to the store one day, a guy was admiring the '32 & said he was a member of the L.A. Roadsters club & invited me to a meeting on that Thursday. I was thrilled for the invite! Later I became member #144 in the LAR club. Long story short----From 1968 to present day over 300,000 miles driven & 5 trips across the USA to Street Rod events.------Now at 87 years, I have turned the roadster over to my son to let him enjoy it too.

 

Most of them involve making car car noises....

 

Hahaha....

 

'50s


'60s



'70s



'80s



'90s



Y2K

 

One of my coolest memories is being able to play with the keys and switches as the battery was out. Oh yes and that big white 56 Olds steering wheel

 

Hi..I am a 1938 Plymouth coupe, My new owner Mike has been working on me for a couple years, He has made me a new frame with a SBC and a 671 blower, WOW I am going to fly, my old flat head was done, and 6 speed transmission..Veroom Veroom.
Now Mike is working on my sheet metal, taking my old 40 year old body panels off that some one put on me in the 60's. and it feels so good when he starts rubbing my sides. Some days he get frustrated with me and walks away goes into the house and watches Netflix. But the next day he comes out and we start agine. Mike is good to me , comes out every day and turns on the heat and we get to work, I will tell him to take some pictures, but he never does.
I will tell Mike that I was talking to you guys....Buy for now, Ply.

 

I like your choice on engines. You can't go wrong with a nailhead Buick

 

I've told this story a few times here on the HAMB, this car was at my high school in 58/59 it cruised the parking lot and then sat in Mike Bergmans' front yard for several months, just a block down the street from school, the car has had me crazy since I was 13 and I am now 78. Tony Handler bought it in the 60's from a junk yard in Palmdale for $7, it was wrecked by a Sailor who owned it before Tony. I found it stored in a friends front yard but it wasn't for sale. At the first Throttlers Tony brought it and I tried to buy it from him, I tried to buy it from Tony many times and even tried to trade 2 Cords I had for it, still no deal. Well I have had a 39 Ford tub that I finished with the help of Guildner Brothers who I lived with in the mid 80's, I drove that one for 12 years and sold it to Al Mc Kee of Bass lake. I'm working on a second 39 Tub now, It's ready for paint and upholstery. About 5 years ago I had lunch with Ray Vega and gave him Don Montgomery's book, during lunch Ray told me that the Valley Custom 38 was the only Rod or Custom he ever owned. His Mom did the tooling on the seats, she had a shop and restaurant on Olvera st in down town L.A. and made tooled purses, that's how she knew how to tool the car seats. Ray continued in the restaurant business and own's Casa Vega on Ventura blvd. He also had a huge catering business in Las Vegas, it serviced classified air bases in the area, he made a bundle and went into Nevada politics.
My current tub and below it my first tub. Forgot to mention I worked with Clay Jensen for about 5 years and it took me the longest time to ask him how they built Rays' tub how it was sectioned, Clay said "it was easy we moved the fenders up 5 inches, added 5 to the bottom of the fenders at the running board and sectioned the hood 5 inches. One more afterthought, I got a quote from a modern day leather artist to tool the Ray Vega seat caps, $1200 each that'd be $4800 for all 4 caps. I found some vinyl with the same color and pattern, bought that and will use it in my current tub upholstery.

 

Mine tells a couple stories, but the real story comes from the car itself. Seems I'm always "chasing the ghost" in the shop. One job to the other, side deals, domestic obligations on top of that. Just when I get a real wild hair up my ass to crank on it and get shit done it invariably turns out I need a little of this and piece of that, a supply I used up on another job, and so it goes. So the car's story is, "I wish this motherfucker would kick some shit to the curb and get my happy ass on the road! I'm patiently waiting...!?!!" Likely that same story gets told more often than the blonde in the Vette with the "if you beat me you can eat me" bumper sticker. That bitch got around, didn't she?

 

My avatar 1928 Tudor has a story. I purchased the car from a guy in West Virginia named John. John purchased the car from the builder, the builders name is Ernie. When I purchased the car I called Ernie (the builder) and talked to him about the car. Ernie told me his friend purchased the car from a store. The store was named Crazy Harrys in Elkins West Virginia. Ernies friend had tried to buy the car for years, but the owners of the store didn't want to sell it to him because it was mounted on a pole 20ft. in the air. It was like a landmark for the store. The store owners finally sold the car to Ernies friend, after they brought it down from the pole it sat in a garage for a year or two untouched. Ernie was able to buy the car and build pretty much what you see in the picture. The car is all the original Henry Ford steel, Ernie told me there was only a small dent in the right rear corner when he got it. Ernie filled the roof in with a roof from a 91 Ford Explorer, he did a great job on it. I have gone through the car and have not found any of the common replacement lower patch panels in the doors or quarter panels. The body is in amazing shape for being as old as it is. I searched the Internet hoping to find an old picture of the car in front of Crazy Harrys, but was unsuccessful. I think it's a pretty cool story, if there is anybody that lives around Elkins WV, and can remember this car in front of Crazy Harrys, I'd like to hear from them.
Aaron

 

My buddy, Jimmy swung by my house with his shortbox chevy to show me the 34 body he'd bought. I'd been telling him I was looking for a 33-34 coupe body to go on my 33 chassis. The body had been cut into 4 pieces so his buddy could store it up in his rafters so it all fit into Jimmy'd shortbox with the tailgate up! The body had been an old jalopy racer and was hit about everywhere but never rolled. It was old number 72 and I once knew the owner's name when it was a racer but forgot.
The chassis story is better: Before I bought the body I'd made a promise to myself to build a 33-34 coupe no matter what it took. I heard of this guy in a neighboring town that had a 33 rolling chassis with a home made woodie body on it. Finally found his address and went over to BS with him. Turns out the rolling chassis was given to him by his buddy's uncle and after the woodie body was built, the new owner lost interest. He said he really wanted a 53-54 Stude coupe and it just so happens I had several of them at that time...swapped the best rust bucket 53 Champion coupe for the woodie project. The guy that owns the car the chassis came from drove over to my house after he heard I had his old chassis, to BS. He'd replaced it with all the high zoot streetrod chassis he bought from the aftermarket. The old guy died the next year....

 

From a real hay barn in Montana up to Ontario to a guy that doesn't know much about cars.... Ha ha @Stogy just kidding, don't send me hate mail!! And then out west to this famous hot rod builder to be reborn into the Poly Coupe with a 409 nestled between the frame rails! A little feature in @canadianhotrodmagazine and hopefully a new feature soon. If only she could talk!

 

Fitness ya done real good...yeah that was quite a journey indeed...I gained a friend and I couldn't predict how it would be treated build wise...I could not be happier it landed with you and your vision...a New big year shaping up for you...driving and smiling...

 

My 35 Chebby. I purchased it from the second owner in 1999 who first spotted it in 1979, purchasing it in 1986. I established that the original owner took it off the road in 1965. It was still an original numbers matching car, frame and engine, when purchased circa 2000. 5yr build and 15yrs on the road now without issue. It's serial #507 of only 647 produced. The rest they say is history.


My 46 Olds is a 1945 Lansing MI built car. It's serial #733 of only 3,498 Oldsmobile units produced between 15th October 1945 and 21st November 1945 after WWII. Due to a United Auto Worker's (UAW) strike Oldsmobile weren't produced between 21st November 1945 and 1st April 1946. Only 30,929 Model 76s were produced and 23,405 at Lansing. Speedo is dated August 1945 with a feint driver's side frame stencil indicating October 1945.

It was last registered in Texas in 1967, coming to Australia in 1990 before languishing undercover in a shed until purchased by me circa 2006. It was still an original numbers matching car; engine, frame, transmission.

 

In 1978 I was working for a carpenter during the day, working at a machine shop in the evenings and on Sunday I worked at the local Standard station. This was back when you would check the oil and wash the windows of the cars you were filling up. I had the oil done and windshield washed and I was just standing there holding the gas nozzle waiting for it to click, watching the cars go through town. I seen something in the distance coming through town that looked different so I kept watching it get closer. When it got to me I remember saying M'fer that's cool. It was a 1950 F1 pulling a 1955 Chevy that looked to be set up for drag racing. I watched the two vehicles go out of town and that was it. "I thought". Monday afternoon rolls around and I'm heading to my machine shop job, 20 miles North. I going through the town the job is at and there sits the 50 F1 for sale at the local car wash. I turned around looked at the sign in the window. Tuesday it was in my driveway. This is what got me going with the old car stuff. I still own the 50 F1.

 

All the cars I have owned have talked to me. They all say the same thing. Sell me.
45 years of hearing that. Still waiting for one to say Keep Me

 

Have a 48 Ply cpe. Story is the car was originally purchased by the Egyptian govt. It came back over to the states in the 80's, odometer shows low mileage. It was dolled up here when it came back to the US but the inner trunk shows the original green military looking color. Only proof is there are 2 'AAA of Egypt' stickers on the dash.

 

Awesome story.

 

Today after having lunch i noticed two elderly ladies (maybe in their 80s) that had stopped next to my '47 and were talking about the car, suddenly one nudges the other and said something and they both kind of blushed and giggled like two young school girls and slowly walked away and looking back at the car.
Now not trying to sound dirty but I'm sure they were reminiscing about some fun times in a car like mine, I couldn't help but laugh. This is another reason I build old cars to help bring a smile and maybe some old "fun" memories to people. Michael. BigO

 

That's a cool story.